INF206 - OLJ Evaluating how libraries use Social media

EVALUATION OF THREE LIBRARIES USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Eastern Regional Library Corporation www.erl.vic.gov.au

Boroondara Public Library www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/libraries

Frankston Public Library http://library.frankston.vic.gov.au/

Social Media Application	Eastern Regional Library Corporation	Boroondara Public  Library	Frankston Public Library
Facebook		ü	ü
Twitter	ü	ü	ü
Flickr	ü	ü
Blogger	ü		ü
YourTutor
Tumblr		ü
RSS Feed	ü		ü
LibraryThing		ü
QR Codes	ü
BookMyne	ü		ü

Social Media allows libraries to develop relationships with members and the publishing community and engage in conversation with them.  It is this two-way conversation where many libraries fail by only using social media to broadcast.

Frankston Library and Boroondara Library use Facebook as a social media tool.  According to recent statistics they are making the right business and marketing decision as Facebook has over 11.5 million users in Australia alone http://www.socialmedianews.com.au/social-media-statistics-australia-august-2012/

Frankston Library has a multi-purpose blog www.flsblog.blogspot.com.au in which they engage their readers by asking leading questions, tempting them to respond via Twitter for example.  They also reach out to staff as this is where Frankston Library update their footy tipping competition and share feedback on how they have responded.  The libraries transparency increases the confidence in the organisation.

Eastern Regional Libraries (ERL) are considering creating a Facebook account.  The Social Media team are still in the early stages of outlining exactly what they want the Facebook account to achieve for the organisation.  ERL’s social media team review many social media applications and evaluate what they consider will compliment their online presence.  Signing up to everything is not considered a good option (Kerpen,2011, p194).  How an application will work with existing social media tools is analysed.

Frankston Library does not display a link on their homepage to their Facebook account.  Members who read their blog do have visible access to the link.  Users of social media have come to expect a cluster of icons, where they can identify what other applications an organisation participates in.

ERLs homepage displays links to their Twitter account and a feed of their tweets (which does appear below the page fold), RSS feed, Blogger and BookMyne link that rests within the catalogue search area.

Improvement could include such as how the homepage presents to mobile users could include the option for downloadable applications.  Recognising a member is using a mobile device would be good customer service.

Boroodara use Facebook and Twitter with the links appearing with the catalogue details https://twitter.com/BoroondaraLib.  This appears to be a mis-match of unrelated icons.  Their posts are generally passive, promoting events and advising of branch closures etc.  Boroondara have a Flickr account but no link to it on their homepage.

Boroondara’s blog ‘Library News’  http://boroondaralibraryservice.blogspot.com.au  was last updated 24^th September 2012 due to the impending council elections.  Other public libraries don’t appear to be taking the same stance.  Their Flickr account has not been updated for four weeks also.

Choosing the target audience is an important step in the determination of the most suitable method to reaching them.  Time spent analysing the libraries’ target audience and researching where the majority of them are spending their time online is valuable. For example 57% of active users on Facebook are female alone, therefore if the library wishes to reach female members they should start there.  There is an even higher female representation in the membership of Pinterest http://www.socialmedianews.com.au/social-media-statistics-australia-august-2012/

Social Networking is being discussed in many spheres.  Even on a news bulletin the reporter will add a comment that was made on Twitter for example.  Senior Information professionals want to be a part of the social networking community, however, have they done the research and planned how the libraries online presence will look like.  Having a strategy in place is an important key to success.

All three libraries are attempting to provide their audience with a taste of what social media has to offer.  They need to have a clear structure in place to become successful in this area.

Reference

Cowling, D. (2012, September 3). Social Media Statistics Australia – August 2012. Social Media News. Retrieved September 5, 2012, from http://http://www.socialmedianews.com.au/social-media-statistics-australia-august-2012/

Eastern Regional Library Corporation. (2012). Retrieved October 2012, from http://www.erl.vic.gov.au/

Kerpen, D. (2011). Five social pitfalls to avoid. In C.C. Shih (2011, p194). The Facebook era: Tapping online social networks to market, sell, and innovate. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.